Chris Budgen is a veteran tight-head prop who plays for Exeter Chiefs.

Budgen was born in Hamilton, New Zealand in 1973. He signed for Northampton Saints in 2001 on the recommendation of Rugby World Cup winner Garry Pagel after coming up against the Army lance corporal in a cup game.

He then moved to Exeter in 2008, making his debut for the Chiefs in September against Esher. Budgen went on to be an influential member of their successful Championship winning team in 2009/10. Budgen shone for the Chiefs in his first season in the Premiership and ended the campaign with a place on the shortlist for the Rugby Players' Association Player of the Year.

Come the 2011-12 season, Budgen was once again in the Chiefs' front-row mix but he played in the International Defence World Cup and upon returning to Sandy Park, found that his spot in the team had gone to Haoni Tui. But the evergreen prop still played a key role in their charge up the league and put in the match-winning pass in their epic 31-26 win over Worcester in April.

Budgen is still with the British Army and has had spells abroad on tour. He lives in Tidworth - just outside Salisbury Plain - and is a part of the Second Royal Welsh regiment.